Golf club grip



Oct. 25, 1955 M. J. PRENDERGAST GOLF CLUB GRIP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. '7, 1952 INVENTOR ATTO Michael .IPrendergast BY @W a 4 RNEYS Oct 1955 M. J. PRENDERGAST GOLF CLUB GRIP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Michael (I Prendergast BY 6am hediy ATTORNEYS Filed Oct. 7, 1952 a if United States Patent O GOLF CLUB GRIP Michael J. Prendergast, Dallas, Tex., assignor to The General Tire and Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application October 7, 1952, Serial No. 313,516

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-81.6)

This invention relates to a grip for golf clubs and the like and to a method of applying it. In particular, it relates to a grip with a cap portion which fits over the end of the golf clug shaft on which it is to be applied, and a strip portion which wraps around the shaft to form a handle thereon.

The great majority of grips for tennis rackets, golf clubs, and similar equipment and tools which are gripped by the hand are made of leather strips wound around the shaft or handle. After the leather strips are wound around the shaft, the end of the shaft still has to be adequately covered by tacking on a separate cap portion or end piece.

The step of tacking on the cap portion and evening up the leather strip often proves to be a time-consuming and relatively expensive operation. It is also the weak point in the grip.

Various single molded grip pieces of rubber or other plastic are generally unsatisfactory because they cannot be applied to the shaft, since the shaft tapers from the end down so that anything large enough to fit over the end is stretched too much for intermediate portions. Thus, golf club handles and the like continue to be made of leather strip with separate end pieces.

One object of the present invention is to provide a grip which can be molded in one piece of a suitable rubber compound or other plastic compound and firmly applied to the shaft.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a grip which is readily assembled and tightened onto its shaft and which feels like leather.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed drawings in which like numerals relate to like parts, and in which:

Figure l is an elevation of the grip of a golf club showing a grip piece made in accordance with the subject invention as assembled on a club shaft.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a grip piece of the subject invention as assembled on a club shaft with the cap portion pulled out from the end of the shaft to even and tighten the strip winding.

Fig. 3 is a view of a grip piece made in accordance with the subject invention as molded and prior to assembly.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cap portion of the grip piece taken along line 44 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the cap portion of the grip piece of Fig. 3 taken along line 5-5 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the strip portion of the grip piece of Fig. 3 taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled grip portion taken along line 7-7 of Fig 1 showing the strip portion wrapped around the shaft.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of a modified form of grip piece which has a cylindrical portion on the end of the strip portion, said grip piece being assembled on a golf club shaft.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled cylin- 2 drical portion of the grip piece taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view of the grip piece of Fig. 8 as molded and prior to assembly.

Fig. 11 is an elevation of a third modification of a grip piece of the subject invention as assembled on the handle of a tennis racket.

The grip piece of the subject invention is particularly adapted to shafts with end cross-sections of relatively large diameter and cross-sections of narrowing diameter therefrom, such as the shaft of a golf club. These grip pieces are preferably molded out of natural or synthetic rubber, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and other moldable and flexible plastics.

The grip piece 1 is illustrated in Fig. 3. It comprises a hollow, cylindrical cap portion 2 and an integral strip portion 3. The cap portion is adapted to fit over the end of the shaft 4 on which the grip piece is attached. Its walls are thicker toward the end so that the end of the handle is more bulbous and gives a good grip. Inside the end of the cap is a key 5 shown in Fig. 5. This key is preferably molded into the cap portion as shown and fits into a corresponding slot 6 in the end of the shaft.

Integral with the cap portion is a strip portion 3. This is a long, flexible strip preferably having a crosssection with tapered side edges 20 as shown in Fig. 6. The end 21, is diagonally cut as shown to fit around the shaft evenly and present an ending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The angle of the cut depends upon whether the strip is wound clockwise or counter-clockwise and the exact angle is best determined by winding the strip on the shaft and cutting the end off at right angles to the shaft.

The strip portion joins the cap portion at an angle of from to to form a proper spiral upon winding as is shown in Fig. 3. The strip portion provides an even and complete juncture with the cap when the strip portion is wrapped around a shaft and the cap portion is fit over the end of the shaft. (See Fig. 4.) The top part of Fig. 1 also illustrates how the two portions integrate to give an even joint in assembly.

The grip piece is preferably assembled by wrapping the strip portion around the shaft and fastening its free end to the shaft with wrapping 11 or the like. The cap portion is then pulled out from the shaft end and twisted in the direction of twist in the strip portion to tighten and even the strip portion on the shaft. Finally, the cap portion is let back on the end of the shaft, taking care to force the key 5 into the slot 6 in the end of the shaft. This prevents the strip from unwinding and provides a tightly and evenly wound grip for the shaft.

The entire grip piece is preferably of a flexible, stretchable rubber-like material such as a fiber reinforced rubber compound or a plasticized vinyl chloride. The fibers in the plastic compound provide, when the surface is buffed, a leather-like feel or handle which is especially desirable.

Figs. 8-10 illustrate a modification of the subject invention in which the end of the strip portion 9 is provided with a cylindrical portion or nipple 10. For assembly of this grip piece, the nipple is stretched over the wide end of the shaft or slid and worked over the shaft from the narrow end, to a point at which it has a tight fit with the shaft. The diameters of the shaft and nipple are preferably correlated for this step. Then the strip portion is wound around the shaft, the cap portion is pulled out and twisted, and, finally, the cap portion is forced back onto the end of the shaft. The nipple 10, in effect, fastens and makes the end of the, strip portion stationary. The nipple joins the strip portion in sub stantial mirror relationship to the juncture of the cap 8 and the strip portion.

-key.

Fig. 11 shows a grip piece in accordance with the subject invention as adapted to the handle or shaft 12 of a tennis racket. This grip piece 13 is essentially the same as grip piece 1, except that the cap portion 14 has no In this case, the cap portion is glued or nailed to the end of the tennis racket handle after it has been pulled out and twisted to provide an evenly and tightly wound grip. This grip piece comprises a cap portion 14 as noted and a strip portion 15. The end of the strip portion is secured or attached to the handle by wrapping 16 as shown.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will be understood that in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, numerous modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A grip for shafts of tapering cross-section comprising a hollow cap portion adapted to fit over the end of the shaft with a rotation preventing key on the inside end thereof, a flexible strip portion integral with said cap portion at one end thereof and a nipple portion adapted to fit tightly over the shaft at a portion of narrower diameter from that of the end portion and joined to the other end of said strip portion, said strip portion being joined and integral with said cap and nipple portions so that when said strip portion is wound on said shaft, said cap portion is on the shaft end, said nipple portion is on said 10 said shaft, a long integral flexible strip leading off from said cap portion at an angle of from 90 to 180 with the longitudinal axis of said cap portion, the edge of said cap portion being adapted to interfit with one end of said strip to provide an even juncture therewith when the strip 15 is tightly wound on said shaft, and a hollow cylindrical nipple portion for fastening the other end of said strip to said shaft so that loosening and untwisting of the grip from the shaft is prevented by said fastening means and said key and slot, said nipple portion being integral with O the other end of said strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,459,996 Duncan Jan. 25, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 674,697 Great Britain June 25, 1952 

